# Osaka Marathon

Plan Osaka Marathon's route, elevation, aid stations and start access, with four course intervals and sourced historical weather.

## Race facts

- Location: Osaka, Japan, JP
- Primary distance: Marathon
- Organizer: Osaka Marathon Foundation
- Reviewed: 2026-10-02T18:12:13.449337+00:00

## Why this race belongs on a competitive runner's shortlist

Osaka Prefectural Government Offices start and Osaka Castle Park finish. Mido-suji, Namba and the river crossings create a distinctive city race. A late Uemachi plateau rise adds a clear pacing test. The plateau climb after 31 km comes when fatigue is accumulating; start-area access is bib-block specific. It suits runners wanting a large Japanese city marathon with a late-course pacing test. The 2027 date and current official course map are verified. Aid and bib-specific access below are the 2026 reference; final 2027 operations remain unconfirmed. Ascent is a named terrain model, not an organizer survey. The course includes Temmabashi-suji and Nakanoshima.

## Course overview

A single central-Osaka city circuit with several out-and-back stretches, with the start near the prefectural offices and the finish inside the castle park. The start is Osaka Prefectural Government Offices and the finish is Osaka Castle Park. The route takes in Temmabashi-suji, Nakanoshima, Mido-suji and Namba, Minato-dori, Naniwa-suji, Shitennoji/Uemachi plateau, Imazato-suji, Osaka Castle Park. An initial descent leads into a largely low, flat first 30 km, followed by the Uemachi plateau rise and descent in the low thirties.

## 0 to 10 km: Prefectural offices, Okawa and Mido-suji

The 0 to 10 km interval includes Osaka Prefectural Government Offices, Temmabashi-suji, Okawa, Mido-suji. The official profile descends from the raised start during the opening kilometre, then remains low through the northern river crossing and Mido-suji approach. The 2026 table lists water and sports drink at 6.0 and 8.3 km, then water at 10.0 km; use these rather than carrying an untested first fuel stop beyond the opening sector. Avoid banking time on the first-kilometre descent; aim for stable effort through the river crossing and turn south onto Mido-suji.

## 10 to 20 km: Namba and the Minato-dori out-and-back

The 10 to 20 km interval includes Namba, Minato-dori, Ichioka, Kyocera Dome Osaka. The official low-level profile stays predominantly flat here; HAM.RUN's modeled kilometre deltas are small, rather than a sustained climb. Water/juice at 12.8 km, water/sports drink/rolled cake at 15.3 km, and water with banana and other foods at 18.0 km were published for 2026. Time familiar gels around water rather than relying on unfamiliar cake. Hold goal effort on the long Minato-dori out-and-back and retain momentum smoothly through the turnaround near Ichioka.

## 20 to 30 km: Taishobashi and Naniwa-suji

The 20 to 30 km interval includes Taishobashi, Naniwa-suji, Yanagi-dori. This is still the low, largely flat portion before the plateau; the modeled 21 to 30 km net deltas mostly round to zero, with only small rises and falls. 2026 water/sports drink at 20.4 and 25.3 km; food plus water at 22.6 and 27.6 km. Use the 25.3 or 27.6 km stop to complete planned fuel before the later climb. Keep effort even around the Yanagi-dori turn near 24 km; the fast-looking flat section should not spend the reserve needed after 31 km.

## 30 to 42.195 km: Uemachi plateau to Osaka Castle Park

The 30 to 42.195 km interval includes Matsuyamachi-suji, Shitennoji, Katsuyama-dori, Imazato-suji, Osaka Castle Park. The main rise occurs around 31 to 33 km onto Uemachi plateau; the organizer profile reaches roughly 20 m before dropping toward 35 km. A smaller rise leads into the finish. 2026 water/sports drink at 31.1 km, local-food Maido-Aid with water at 32.8 km, water at 35.8 and 37.6 km, and water/sports drink at 40.7 km. Take familiar fuel before the rise instead of making local food a race-day experiment. Allow pace to ease on the Shitennoji rise, resume controlled running down Katsuyama-dori, then reassess a push on Imazato-suji and the castle approach.

## Elevation checkpoints and how to read them

Total ascent is 70 m. HAM.RUN publishes approximately 70 m ascent and 80 m descent from a GSI 5 m bare-earth digital elevation model, smoothed over 500 m. These are modeled, rounded totals, not organizer measurements; the separately published net change is -11 m, so rounded gain/loss do not exactly reconcile. Initial descent in the first kilometre; major climb at approximately 31 to 33 km near Shitennoji, followed by descent toward 35 km and a small finish rise.

## Aid stations and race-day logistics

6.0, 8.3, 15.3, 20.4, 25.3, 31.1 and 40.7 km (2026): Water and sports drink; 15.3 km also rolled cake; 25.3 km also juice. 10.0, 12.8, 18.0, 22.6, 27.6, 32.8, 35.8 and 37.6 km (2026): Water; juice at 12.8 km; foods at 18.0, 22.6, 27.6, 32.8, 37.6 km, with local-food Maido-Aid at 32.8 km. The start is In front of Osaka Prefectural Government Offices. 2026 Osaka-Jo Hall arrivals: JR Osaka Jo Koen Exit 2 or Osaka Business Park Exit 1, approximately five minutes on foot; Kyobashi via the castle promenade approximately 15 minutes. 2026 men's blocks D/E/G and women's G used WW/TT Hall via Morinomiya; Metro Exit 3-A about five minutes or JR north exit about seven minutes. Tanimachi 4-chome could not be used to enter start blocks because of entry restrictions; follow the station assigned to the bib's block. 2026 gear check was assigned by bib number and sticker; items must fit the supplied gear bag. Changing areas closed at 08:30. Do not assume these block allocations for 2027.

## Practical pacing plan

Hold sustainable effort from Osaka Prefectural Government Offices and avoid banking time on the opening descent. Keep Mido-suji and the Minato-dori out-and-back controlled. Take familiar fuel before the later Uemachi plateau rise. Allow pace to ease around Shitennoji at 31 to 33 km, then resume controlled running down Katsuyama-dori. Push gradually on the Osaka Castle Park approach only if effort permits. Push only while effort and form remain controlled. Wind can raise effort on open streets and river crossings, while rain changes grip around turns. February temperatures vary; choose clothing and pacing adjustments from the event-week forecast.

## Historical weather pattern

February history for Osaka, Japan gives a typical daily temperature range of 32.1 to 58.4 degrees Fahrenheit, daily maximum sustained winds of 5.4 to 15.1 mph, and at least 1 mm of rain on 26.1 percent of days. Historical conditions can change, so check the race-week forecast before travel and again on race morning.

## Edition history

- [2027, Marathon](https://www.osaka-marathon.com/2027/info/course/pdf/course_en.pdf)

## Sources

1. [Current2027 official course map and elevation profile, visually checked](https://www.osaka-marathon.com/2027/info/course/pdf/course_en.pdf)
2. [2026 participant guide, downloaded PDF page12 water and food table](https://www.osaka-marathon.com/2026/en/entry/guidance/pdf/Info_on_participation_en.pdf)
3. [2026 revised participant guide, downloaded PDF page6 start access and gear check](https://www.osaka-marathon.com/2026/en/entry/guidance/pdf/Info_on_participation_en_0212.pdf)
4. [Osaka modeled elevation profile](https://ham.run/marathon/osaka)
5. [Osaka Marathon course reconstruction](https://trailsplits.com/races/osaka-marathon)
6. [Osaka Marathon 2027 official overseas registration](https://jtbsports.jp/en/detail/nays3)
7. [Osaka, Japan historical daily ERA5 archive, 2016 to 2025](https://archive-api.open-meteo.com/v1/archive?latitude=34.69&longitude=135.52&start_date=2016-01-01&end_date=2025-12-31&daily=temperature_2m_max,temperature_2m_min,precipitation_sum,wind_speed_10m_max&temperature_unit=fahrenheit&wind_speed_unit=mph&timezone=UTC&models=era5)

Canonical URL: https://www.yigri.com/races/osaka-marathon-osaka